Briatore slams "sham" FIA
FLAVIO Briatore will argue that the
hearing of the World Motor Sport
Council which resulted in his lifetime
ban from motorsport was a "sham" when
he appeals its decision in front of the
Tribunal de Grande Instance in Paris later
this month.
Briatore, who will seek to annul his
and former colleague Pat Symonds' bans
and will also claim €1 million (US$1.5)
in compensation for damage to his
reputation, will argue that the decision
of the WMSC had at its root a vendetta
on the part of former FIA president Max
Mosley who, Briatore claims in documents
leaked to the press, had been "clearly
blinded by an excessive desire for
personal revenge."
The FIA itself expressed its
disappointment that Briatore had leaked
information about the forthcoming case
to the media.
"The FIA rejects the allegations made in
these leaks and confirms that the decision
to impose a sanction against Mr Briatore
was made by an overwhelming majority of
the attending World Motor Sport Council
members," a statement read.
Briatore however fought back,
claiming to Reuters that, "according
to declarations by one of its own vice-
presidents to the media, the world
council's decision was rather the
outcome of secret negotiations on the
eve of the sham hearing."
Briatore is thought to be unlikely to
win his case, as the ramifications of him
doing so would be vast for world sport as
it would effectively take away the right of
a sporting body to determine who is and
who is not permitted to compete in its
championships. Furthermore, any success
on Briatore's part could set a precedent
which would ultimately lead to every
sporting penalty being appealed through
the court system.
Should the Tribunal de Grande Instance
find in the FIA's favour, Briatore is
expected to take his case to the European
Court of Human Rights.
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